Luke’s eyes widened, as he was surprised by Nash’s admission. “You’re not upset with me for not remembering?”
Nash shook his head. “Nah, bro. I’m tired of getting upset with the wrong people. My parents are amazing and I’ve had a good life. The best thing to come out of learning I was adopted was meeting you and Athena. I’m not saying I’ll never want to meet our father or find my birth mother, but I’m good right now with the blessings I’ve been given.”
Nash leaned to hug Luke and he accepted the hug. He was surprised by how mature Nash was handling everything and made a mental note to take some cues from his brother...even though he’d never tell him that.
“We can talk more about all this deep shit later, but now, you need to come up with a plan of action for how you’re going to get Kyra back,” Nash announced.
Luke laughed. “I thought you told me to give her the space she needs?”
“I did. But if she decides to drag this out too long, you have to win back the woman you love and convince her that you’re not the same man you were years ago. Let her know that her heart is safe when it’s in your hands.”
Luke nodded. “Thanks, bro. I needed that wake-up call and to get that stuff off my chest.”
“You’re welcome. Just remember to name your first son after me. Nash is a pretty dope name.”
“What if Kyra and I have a girl?” Luke asked, entertaining his brother’s idea.
“Nashena after me and your mom.”
Luke frowned. “Ugh, that’s a horrible name for a girl. Kyra would never go for it.”
“I happen to think it’s a great name for a female.”
Luke shook his head. “Nah, that was pretty bad.”
“Okay, name her Nashay then. Or Nashika.”
“Do you ever want her to get a job?”
“Low blow, bro,” Nash said. “I happen to think those names are pretty damn good.”
“Tell you what,” Luke said. “How about I thank you by making you my best man instead because Kyra may need some convincing, but I plan on marrying that woman.”
“Best man,” Nash said in surprise. “But what about your friends, like Taheim?”
“Taheim is my best friend, but you’re my blood. My brother. The only I got.”
Nash smiled. “Thanks, man, I’d be honored.” They hugged it out until Nash got a thought. “You don’t think we have any more siblings running around, do you?”
Luke’s eyes widened. “Damn, you never know. We could.”
“Hmm. Maybe I’ll get my private investigator on it when we’re ready to tackle that.”
Luke nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
* * *
“We close in ten minutes,” Kyra yelled when she heard the front door of the boutique open.
“Kyra, is that any way to greet your mother?”
Kyra looked up from the register. “Mom, what are you doing here?” She walk-ran to the front door and gave her a hug.
“I know I just saw my baby girl, but when Winter and Autumn got back to Chicago and told me that you and Luke were taking a break, I knew I had to come out here and talk to you.”
Kyra frowned. Her sisters-in-law had only been in LA for a few hours to view the new location, and not surprisingly, they loved it just as much as Kyra did.
“I know you’re probably disappointed in me because we were finally together and I went ahead and ruined it.”
“Sweetie, you have it all wrong. I’m not disappointed in you. I’m proud of you for realizing that you needed some time to figure out what it is that you want. If Luke isn’t it, then you owe it to yourself and him to put that information out there.”
“That’s the problem,” Kyra exclaimed. “Luke is everything I want and more, yet for some reason, I can’t shake this feeling I have in the pit of my stomach, replaying how he rejected me back when I was in college.”
“I think I know why,” her mom said, motioning for Kyra to join her on the bench by the fitting room. “Kyra, you’ve always gone after what you wanted no matter whether it be in school, or sports, or your career. Your father and I have always admired your tenacity to take life by the horns and make the most of your opportunities. When it came to Luke, you didn’t tackle your feelings for him any differently than you have everything else in your life.
“You knew you wanted him as soon as you hit adolescence. Maybe even before then. Your father and I began to notice little things, like the way you’d ask him to help you with your homework. Or the way you would play in the yard with your brothers all night when Luke was with them rather than going to bed, something you never did when Luke wasn’t around. And you know what else your father and I noticed?”
“What?” she asked.
“We noticed how much Luke cared for you right back. We noticed that even if he wasn’t good at a subject, he would study up on it just to help you out. We noticed that when you all played in the backyard and you got so tired that you’d fall asleep in the grass, he was picking you up and bringing you inside. From what we saw, Luke never looked at you inappropriately when you were growing up, but it became harder and harder for him to ignore as you got older. By your eighteenth birthday, the boy was doing everything he could to ignore your flirting. By nineteen, he was downright rushing out the room when you were visiting from college and he was in town from grad school. At twenty, there was one time we couldn’t even get him to come by the house at all. And at twenty-one, I wasn’t sure what happened around that time, but I could tell something shifted between you two because that’s when you started avoiding him at all costs.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Kyra asked.
“I figured you would talk to me if you needed to. Besides, I wanted you to distance yourself from Luke because you needed to grow on your own without chasing after that boy.”
Kyra frowned. “Maybe I should have run a little faster when he popped up in LA.”
“It wouldn’t have worked,” her mother said. “Once Luke decided to chase after you this time, you didn’t stand a chance. No woman does when it comes to loving the right man.”
“You think he’s right for me?” she asked.
“Of course I do. You’ve always been right for one another. You were just in different places in your life. But now, you’re at the right place at the right time.”
Kyra sighed. “I thought so, too, but I can’t seem to shake this eerie feeling.”
“You’re worried the other shoe will drop,” her mom explained. “You’re worried that now that you finally have him, something will happen and you’ll lose him again. It’s a natural reaction, but based off what I saw, you don’t have to worry about that with Luke.”
“How can you be so sure?” Kyra asked. “How can I know if I won’t get my heart broken again?”
Her mother gently cupped her cheek. “No one can know that for sure, baby girl. Love is all about taking risks and hoping that it works out for the best. What I do know is that Luke didn’t just up and decide he loves you. That boy has loved you since the day he met you. And at Taheim and Winter’s wedding, even though he was dating someone, he only had eyes for you. He couldn’t help it. He’s always watched you. Observed you. Checked to see if you were okay. Randomly asked me and your dad how you were doing when he didn’t want to ask your brothers. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take the time you need to work through your feelings, but you shouldn’t pass up on a great love because you’re scared to put yourself out there again.”
Kyra took a deep breath, letting her mom’s words soak in. “I hear you, Mom. I’ll definitely keep all of that in mind.”
She smiled. “Good. Now that that’s settled,” her mother said, clapping her hands, “it’s time for you to put me to work. Winter mentioned that you may be placing an offer on a new boutique soon, which means, you need help packing.”
&nb
sp; Kyra reached over and pulled her mom in for a hug. “I love you, Mom. More than anything.”
Her mom patted her and ran her fingers through her hair, just as she’d done since Kyra was little. “I love you, sweetie.”
Chapter 18
Luke was a nervous wreck as he waited near Santa Monica Pier for Kyra to show up. When she’d called and asked him to meet her there, he’d said yes almost immediately. Back in Chicago, he’d had no idea that taking time to think meant he wouldn’t be communicating with Kyra for two weeks. Two excruciating long weeks in which he drove Nash crazy.
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. He’d hoped it was Kyra, but was disappointed to see it was Taheim. “Hey, T, what’s good?”
“Hey, Luke, at least you sound better than you did a few days ago.”
“Your sister asked to talk today, so I’m hoping it’s good news.”
“I think it will be,” he said. “But that’s actually not what I called for. Winter is pregnant again and though it’s too early to tell if it’s a girl or a boy, I was hoping you could be my child’s godfather.”
Luke stopped pacing. “Me? Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. You’re one of my best friends and my child would be lucky to have you as a godfather. And I guess I should let you know that we plan on asking Kyra to be the godmother.”
Luke smiled. “This truly means a lot to me, man. Yes, I will be your child’s godfather and I promise to take the responsibility seriously.” Luke knew how careful Taheim and Winter had been in choosing godparents for their other two kids, so he could only imagine that they had chosen him and Kyra just as carefully.
“I needed this news,” Luke said. “You called at the right time.”
“I had a feeling,” Taheim stated. “Just remember, Kyra loves you. Before you ask, no, she hasn’t told me anything, but I know my sister. You two are going to end up together. Just keep your head up.”
“I will, man,” Luke said. “I just miss her so much. As soon as I see her, I’ll feel better.”
Taheim laughed. “Man, it’s still hard hearing you talk about her like this. I made myself sick the other day thinking about everything I know you’ve done with other women, realizing that now, that woman is my sister.”
“What do you want to know?” Luke teased.
“Not a damn thing,” Taheim said, practically yelling into the phone. “In fact, I’m mad I even started the conversation down this road. How about you just give me a call later after you see Kyra.”
“Okay,” Luke said with a laugh. “Thanks again for this great honor.”
“You’re welcome, Luke. Thank you for accepting the responsibility.” Luke said his goodbye and hung up the phone, then resumed his pacing. Five minutes later, he was still too anxious to stand still.
“I can’t wait much longer,” he said to himself as he glanced at his phone.
“You got here too early,” a voice said from behind him. He turned to find Kyra wearing a white crop top and long black maxi skirt. She was looking so delicious, he wished they could skip the talking part and go straight to the kissing part. “Do you want to take a walk?” she asked.
He nodded. “Sure.” Luke felt nervous, as if he wasn’t meeting with someone he’d known most of his life. Awkward or not, he was happy to see her. “I’ve really missed you,” he confessed.
She smiled. “I’ve missed you, too.”
Okay, that’s a good sign. Luke felt himself stand a little taller with her admission. They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Kyra broke it.
“Do you remember about a year before Taheim met Winter, it was around Christmastime and you stopped by my parents’ house to drop off a bottle of rum?”
Luke thought back to that day. “I remember. I’d gone to Puerto Rico for business and brought back a really nice bottle of rum for your parents that I got from the Bacardi factory.”
“They were excited to see you since it had been almost a year since you’d dropped by,” she said. “I remember the surprised looks on their faces when you called.”
“You were there?” he asked in surprise. “I don’t remember you being home when I was there.”
“I’d been visiting that day, too, but I told them I was leaving before you got there. I was still really hurt back then and it was pretty raw. I didn’t think I could face you without getting pissed off all over again, so I dipped off. Or at least tried to.”
“You stayed?” he asked.
“More like watched you from the backyard window,” Kyra said with a laugh. “Looking back, it seemed pretty creepy to watch you from afar, but I’d missed you and needed to see you even if you didn’t see me.”
Luke nodded. “I know the feeling. I hate to say it, but I’d only visited your parents because I’d missed you and you still weren’t talking to me.”
“Really?” she asked. “You’d missed me?”
Luke sighed. “Kyra, when I’m not with you, I always miss you. That’s never changed no matter what state we live in. I love your parents, but I was missing you like crazy and I didn’t want to keep asking your brothers about you because I figured they would catch on to how I felt. So I’d ask your parents and they were so proud, they always kept me updated. For a while, I wondered if they’d picked up on anything, but I’d stopped myself from asking.”
“They did,” she said. “They picked up on our attraction, but my parents weren’t the type to make things awkward so they left it alone.”
“I was really glad when we ran into each other downtown,” he said. “It felt like fate had been on my side.”
“I’d felt the same way,” she admitted. “I remember stumbling over my words because I didn’t know what to say to you. I’d heard that you and your dad had grown distant, so it seemed like a safe topic to bring up, but I regretted it the minute I said anything.”
“You shouldn’t,” he told her. “That day, I’d needed to vent about him. To say how I really felt without having to explain too much. When you hugged me that day, I couldn’t remember ever needing a hug that badly before. I knew you were still upset at me, but you put your feelings aside to offer me comfort.”
“I did, but I was thinking back to that moment earlier today and I realized that there were so many moments in our lives where we were there for each other in ways we never really paid attention to.” She cleared her throat. “Luke, I said I needed some time to think and to gather my thoughts and I appreciate you for giving me the space to do so.”
Oh, no, he thought. This is it. She’s either willing to make it work, or she wants to end it for good. Luke couldn’t imagine it being the latter. He felt like they were just getting started. There was so much more life to live together and he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t tell her that.
“I love you,” he blurted out. “And not just in the we’ve-known-each-other-most-our-lives kind of way, but I’m in love with you and I have been for longer than I can remember.” He stopped walking and stood in front of her. “Kyra, these past couple weeks have been some of the toughest weeks I’ve ever had because all I wanted to do was spend that time with you. There aren’t enough apologies in the world for letting you chase me for all those years without me chasing you back because, baby, I wanted to chase you more than you realize. You deserve to be chased every damn day because you’re special and loved. More important to me than anyone in my life.”
Her eyes watered, which Luke hoped was still a good sign. “That was beautiful,” she said breathlessly. “And much better than the speech I was going to give.”
He studied her eyes. “Give it, anyway.”
“Okay,” she said. “Luke O’Connor, I want to thank you for being patient with me, but I don’t need any more time apart because all I’ve learned in these past couple weeks is how much I love you and want to spend as much time with you as I possibly
can.”
He grinned, finally feeling the tension leave his shoulders. “Why didn’t you start with the I-love-you part?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It just came out that way. Do you want me to take it back? Because I can arrange that, too.”
Luke laughed. “There’s my sarcastic girl. I almost had you in tears. Wasn’t sure who I was dealing with for a minute.”
She punched him in the shoulder. “Keep teasing me and I won’t give you the surprise I had for you today.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is this a surprise I can watch? A surprise I can eat? Or a surprise I can touch?”
“All three depending on how you look at it,” she replied, waggling her eyebrows.
“Damn, what are we still doing walking around this pier then?”
She laughed. “Actually, I really wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. Don’t ask me why, but I was thinking about how this conversation would go and thought ending it on the Ferris wheel would be nice. Especially since the entire thing is decorated in Christmas lights! I mean, who gets to ride a Ferris wheel decorated in holiday lights?”
“Random, but I’m down for it,” he said, pulling her to him. “As long as I get to spend the rest of the night kissing you senseless to make up for all the time we missed.”
“How many kisses would you say we missed in a day?”
“Um, at least one hundred a day,” he said.
“Guess that’s a whole lot of making up,” she stated. “Tell me, do these kisses all have to be on my face? Or are there some other places you can kiss to make up for lost time?”
“Oh, there are definitely some other places in need of my intimate attention.” His eyes dropped down to her lips. “But for now, I’m going to kiss the pair I’ve been looking at since you got here.” With that, he dipped his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss that had him groaning aloud.
He heard a few people clap and a few others tell them to get a room, but Luke didn’t pay them any mind. He was too busy kissing the woman who owned his heart. The woman who’d helped him realize what it meant to not just have love for someone, but to truly love someone.
Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love Page 16